Terminal clip



May 10, 1966 w. l.. scHoTT ET Al. 3,251,021

' TERMINAL CLIP Filed May l5, 1963 iwf-.6 Figi fj,

ceiver by means of a transmission line.

United States Patent O `3,251,021 TERMINAL CLIE` Walter L. Schott, 9390 Monte Leon Lane, Beverly Hills, Calif., and Arthur Nelson, 11121 Crenshaw Blvd., Inglewood, Calif.

Filed May 13, 1963, Ser. No. 279,998 2 Claims. (Cl. 339-97) The present invention relates to electrical terminal clips and more particularly to terminal clips for attaching an antenna transmission line to a pair of terminals.

Electrical cables normally have a plurality of electrical conductors that are enclosed in an insulating material. The conductors are employed for carrying electrical currents from one location to another. In order to transfer the currents onto and off of the conductors it is necessary to establish and maintain electrical contact with the conductors. In some typesl of cables it is dicult to provide the required interconnection. For example, most television and frequency modulation receivers employ` a remotely located antenna which is connected to the re- Normally the transmission line employs a pair of parallel conductors that are spaced so as to provide an impedance of approximately 300 ohms. In order to protect the conductors and maintain this spacing the conductors are enclosed in an insulating material such as a polyethylene plastic. Because of the parallel spaced configuration of the conductors the transmission line inherently has a flat or planar configuration, the conductors being disposed in enlarged headings extending'along the opposite edges of ther transmission line. Heretofore, in order to connect this transmission line with the terminals on the receiver, it has been necessary to strip the insulation from the line so as to expose the conductors. The exposed portions of the conductors may then be connected to the 3,25 1,021 Patented .May 1 0, 1 966 clamps and depressing them until the probes penetrate into-the-conductors. Thus, it is no longer necessary to employ any special tools or skills in securing the transmission line tothe receiver.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of one embodiment of the present invention, particularly when taken in connection with the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a terminal clip embodying one -form of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view of a contact member embodied in the terminal clip of FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 are side, plan `and end views of a clamp means employed in the terminal clip of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 are side and end views of a subassembly framed by the clamp means of FIGURES 3, 4

and 5 mounted on the contact member of FIGURES 6,

Referring to the drawings in more detail, the presentinvention is particularly adapted to be embodied in a terminal clip 10 for electrically interconnecting the conductors inside of an electrical. cable with one or more terminals 12 and 14.V Although the terminal clip 10 may be adapted to be employed with any type of electrical cable, in the present instance it is particularly intended to be employed by interconnecting the electrical conterminals on the receiver by some form of a soldered connection or a lscrew type connector.

The foregoing type of connection is effective in most types of installations where a permanent installation is made. However, it has been found that it is extremely diicult to strip an insulating material such as polyethylene from the conductors without causing damage to one or both conductors. Moreover, when the transmis- 'sion line is employed with a receiver that is moved frequently the transmission line may be subjected to frequent strains such as tensions that cause one or more of the wire strands in the conductors to break, whereby the electrical connection in the transmission line is eventually broken.

It is now proposed to provide a terminal clip which will overcome the foregoing dificulties. More particularly, it is proposed to provide a terminal clip which may be connected to a cable such as an antenna transmission without expending any time stripping or removing insulation fromV the transmission line or securing transmission line with screws to the terminal clip. More particularly, this is accomplished by providing a terminal clip which may be of the so-called clothespin type for simultaneous interconnection with both of the antenna terminal posts on the receiver. In addition, the clip includes fastening means thereon for receiving the cable or transmission line and mechanically connecting it to the clip. In one embodiment the fastening means includes an electrically independent clamp for each side of the antenna system. Each of the clamps includes a probe ductors 16 and 18 in an antenna transmission line 20 with a pair of antenna terminals 12 and 14 on a receiver such as a television or frequency modulated receiver. An

antenna transmission line for use in the frequency ranges presently allocated to this type of receiver normally has the pair of electrical conductors 16 and 18 separated from each other on the order of three-eighths to one-half inch so as to produce an impedance substantially equal to 300 ohms. In order to maintain the conductors 16 and 18 uniformly spacedfrom each other a plastic material such as polyethylene is molded around the two conductors 16 and 18. In some transmission lines 20 this results in having a relatively thin web 22 in the center and enlarged beads 24 and 26 extending along the opposite sides of the transmission line.

In order to connect the transmission line of this naturel to a receiver, a pair of antenna terminals 12 and 14 are provided at an accessible portion of the receiver. Although these terminals may be of any suitable variety, they are customarily a pair of screws that project outwardly to act as a pair of binding posts for receiving the two conductors 16 and 18 or connectors attached to the ends thereof. The end of the transmission line has heretofore been brought up to the proximity of these terminals 12 and 14 and the insulation stripped from the ends of the two conductors 16 and 18 so as to expose portions thereof. Since the polyethylene insulating material that is normally employed is rather tough, it has been very diicult to remove the insulation without damaging one or both of the conductors 16 and 18. After the insulating material has been stripped from portions of the conductors, the conductors are secured to the terminals either directly or by means of suitable connectors.

As will become apparent, when employing the present terminal clip 10 it is no longer necessary to in any way strip or alter the insulating material on the transmission line 20. More particularly, the terminal clip 10 of the present invention is of the so-called clothespin variety having a pair of coacting jaw members 28 and 30. These jaw members 28 and 3f), which may be substantially identical to each other, may be molded out of a dielectric material such as a plastic.

Each of the members 28 and 3f) may include a pair of projections 32 and 34 on their inner sides so as to register with each other. One of these projections 32 may be disposed adjacent the center of the jaw member while the other projection 34 is disposed adjacent the end thereof. A resilient spring such as a C-shaped clip 36 may be provided so as to engage the exterior of the jaw members and resiliently force the two members together at the projections 32 and 34. This spring clip 36 will thus be effective to hold the two jaw members together at the projections 32 with the first ends thereof normally maintained in direct contact.

The second ends of the jaw members 28 and 30 may be tapered so as to diverge outwardly from each other and provide an open space therebetween. of the members 28 and 30 immediately adjacent to the second ends thereof may have fiat surfaces that form finger grips 38. By grasping these grips 38 and compressing them together, the two jaw members 28 and 30 will be caused to pivot about the center projections 32 and cause the projections 34 on the ends to separate from each other.

It may thus be seen that these two center projections 32 will be effective to form a hinge whereby thetwo jaw members 28 and 30 may be pivoted about the axis of the hinge against the tension of the spring clip 36.

In order to interconnect the terminal clip 10 with the terminal posts 12 and 14 on the receiver an electrically conductive contact member 40 may be secured to the edge of the dielectric jaw members 28 and 30. These conta-ct members 40 may be substantially identical to each other and include flat portions 42 which fit the exteriors of the jaw members 28 and 30. A pair of arms 44 may be provided on the opposite sides of the fiat portions 42 so as to extend around the sides of the jaw members 28 and 30. By bending the ends of these arms 44 into the spaces between the projections 32 and 34, the arms 44 will tightly embrace the ends of the jaw members and maintain the contact members 40 securely fastened onto the jaw members for moving therewith.

Each of the contact members 40 includes a portion 46 that extends beyond the ends of the jaw members 28 and 30. The outer ends of the portions 46 have fianges 48 that are disposed at approximately right angles to the portions 46. These flanges 48 extend inwardly so as to register with each other. Each of these flanges may have a notch 50 recessed therein so as to fit against the terminals 12 or 14. It may thus be seen that by compressing the nger grips 38 toward each other, the jaw members 28 and 30 will pivot about the axis of the hinge formed by the projections 32 and separate the anges 48 from each other until the space therebetween is greater than the spacing of the terminals 12 and 14. The flanges 48 may then be passed over the ends of the terminals and the finger grips 38 released. The terminals 12 and 14 will then come to rest in the bottoms of the notches 50 and the clip 10 will thus be firmly anchored onto the terminals 12 and 14. It should be noted that since the two contact members 40 are insulated from each other and since each one engages a different terminal 12 or 14, the contact members 40 will be on the opposite sides of the antenna circuit.

As a matter of convenience, it may be desirable to provide additional registering notched anges 52 on the opposite sides of the contact members 40 to facilitate securing the terminal clip 16 to the terminals 12 and 14 without its projecting So far from the receiver.

In order to attach the transmission line 20 to the contact members 40 a connector 54 may be provided on each The outer sides of the contact members 40. The present connectors 54 are effective to mechanically secure the transmission line 20 to the terminal clip 1f) and to electrically interconnect the conductors 16 and 18 in the transmission line 20 with the contact members 40. Although the connector 54 may be of any desired Variety, in the present instance it is effective to function as a clamp that will compress the transmission line 20 against the Contact members 40. Accordingly, a clamp member 56 of electrically conductive material is provided. A pair of ears 58 may be provided that are integral with the opposite sides of the contact members 40. A pair of pins are provided that project from the sides of the clamp member 56 so as to be pivotally disposed in the upper ends of the ears 58. This will permit the clamp member S6 to pivot about the axis of the pin. One end of the clamp member 56 may project beyond the pin and be bent into a hook shape that will he effective to provide a smooth rounded surface 6G. As will become apparent subsequently, this rounded surface 60 will bear against the exterior of the transmission line 20 and tend to retain it in a fixed position.

The opposite end of the clamp member projects in the opposite direction from the axis of the pins toward the finger grips 38 on the jaw members 28 and 30. These ends may be substantially fiat so as to form a second pair of finger grips 62. Although these finger grips 62 may overlap the first pair of finger grips 38, it has been found desirable that they be spaced from the first pair substantially as shown. Thus, either pair of finger grips may be grasped without affecting the other pair.

When the finger grips 62 on the clamp members 56 are raised from the clamp members 28 or 30, the hooked end of the member 56 will swing yabout `the pins and position the curved surface 60 so as to provide a clearance space between the surface and the contact member 40 that is of suflicient dimensions to permit the transmission line 20 to pass therethrough. However, when the clamp member 56 is folded down by pressing on the finger grips 62 so as to position the clamp member substantially as shown in FIGURES 1 and 9, the surface 60 will very tightly engage the transmission line and physically clamp it against the exterior of the contact member. This will insure the transmission line being mechanically secured to both sides of the terminal clip 10.

In order to electrically interconnect the two clamp members 56 with the conductors, suitable probes 64 may be provided on either side of each clamp member S6. Each of these probes 64 includes one or more pointed fingers 66 which are sufiiciently sharp to easily penetrate the insulating material on the transmission line 20. The probe 64 is disposed so as to register with one of the headings 24 or 26 extending along the edges of the transmission line 20. It should be noted that if both of the clamp members 56 are substantially identical when one of the clamp members is inverted to fit on the opposite side of the clamp, the probe 64 will register with the beadings on the other sides of the transmission line substantially as shown in FIGURE 10. It has been found that there may be substantial variations in the dimensions of the `transmission line. More particularly, the width of the transmission line and the positions of the conductors therein may vary. Also, the position of the transmission line Within the clip may vary. Accordingly, it has been found desirable for the probe 64 to have the fingers 66 therein staggered over an area that is at least equal to the amount of variation. By way of example, as seen in FIGURE 11, the fingers may be sufficiently skew to cover substantially the entire Width of the headings 24 and 26.

In order to facilitate the attachment of the cable er transmission line 20 to the terminal clip 10 and also to facilitate the use of the clip, an opening 68 may be provided in each of the jaw members 28 and 30. These openings 68 which register with each other are sufficiently large to permit the transmission line to easily pass therethrough. As a consequence, as may be seen in FIGURE l, the `transmission line may pass under one of the curved surfaces 60, through the openings 68 in the jaw members 28 and 30, and then under the rounded surface 60 in the connector 54 on the opposite side of the clip. It should be noted that in the event there is a tension in the transmission line it will be effective to pull the transmission line against the surface 60 and rotate it about the pin so as to more tightly force the probe 64 into the cable. Thus, the greater the force pulling on the transmission line the greater the mechanical locking of the line to the clip.

In order to employ the present terminal clip for Securing an antenna transmission line lto a pair of terminals 12 and 14, the two clamp members 56 may have the ends thereof raised so as to provide a clearance space between the surfaces 60 and the tops of the contact members 40. The end of the transmission line 20 may then be fed through the first clamp. Following this, the end of the transmission line is passed through both of the openings .68 in the two jaw members 28 and 30 and then into the second clamp. Following this, the finger grips 62 on the ends of the clamps are compressed inwardly toward the jaw members 28 and 30 until the ingers 66 on the probe 64 have penetrated through the insulation and become imbedded in the electrical conductors 16 and 18. Following this, the iinger grips 38 may be compressed together so as to cause the jaw members 28 and 30 to pivot on the projection 32 and separate the flanges of the contact members suiciently to receive the two terminals 12 and 14. The two linger grips 38 are then released so that the spring 36 will resiliently clamp the two connectors onto the terminals.

It will thus be seen that it is no longer necessary to in any way split the conductor or strip the insulation from the transmission line 20. Furthermore, it may also be seen that it is no longer necessary to expend any time fastening the conductors of the transmission line by means of the conventional screw fasteners employed heretofore. Furthermore, in the event of any undue tension in the transmission line 20, the stress will be distributed over the rounded end 60 of the clamp members 56, so as to prevent stress concentrations that might otherwise break or damage the transmission line 20. This force will also be elective to more firmly imbed the probe into the electrical conductors.

It may thus be seen that a terminal clip has been provided that will be effective to facilitate the rapid interconnection ofthe transmission line to the clip without employing any tools or skills. Although only a single embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes and modilications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing drawings and description thereof are for illustrative purposes only and do not in any way limit the invention which is defined only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. An antenna terminal clip for use with an antenna transmission line having a pair of parallel electrical conductors enclosed in an insulating material for being retained in parallel spaced relationship adjacent the op` posite edges of said antenna transmission line, said clip comprising the combination of a pair of dielectric jaw members pivotally secured together adjacent their centers,

an electrically conductive contact member on each of said jaw members and having portions thereof projecting beyond the irst ends of said jaw members,

a pair of electrical contacts on said irst ends of said jaw members for being disposed in electrical contact with a pair of spaced antenna terminals,

resilient means biasing sa-id jaw members about their centers to retain said portions clamped against a pair of spaced antenna terminals, an electrically conductive clamp pivotally dispose on each of said jaw members and electrically connected to the respective contact, said jaw members having a pair of registering openings to permit said transmission line to pass through both of said members and under both of said clamps for being mechanically secured to each of said jaw members, and a probe on each of said clamps positioned to register an edge of said transmission line and penetrate through the insulation and into one of the conductors.

2. In combination with an antenna transmission line having a dielectric member with a pair of parallel electric conductors imbedded in the opposite edges thereof, an antenna terminal clip for interconnecting said conductors with a pair of antenna terminals comprising the combination of a lpair of dielectric jaw members,

.hinge means pivotally securing said jaw members together adjacent their centers,

means for resiliently biasing said jaw members about the axis of said hinge means for resiliently urging the tirst ends of said members toward each other and for separating the second ends of said members,

an electrically conductive contact member on each of said jaw members having portions projecting beyond the iirst ends for being disposed in electrical contact with said antenna terminals, said resilient means being effective to maintain said portions of said contacts clamped against said terminals,

linger grips on each of said jaw members adjacent the second ends thereof for opposing said resilient means and spreading said electrical contacts to release said portions from said terminals,

an electrically conductive clamp pivotally secured to o each of said contact members and having said transmission line passing between said clamp and said contact member,

an electrical probe on each of said clamps positioned to register with the conductors in said edges, and

a finger grip on each of said clamps juxtaposed to said iirst linger grips and arranged so that compressing said second iinger grips will compress said 'clamps against said transmission line and embed said probe in said conductor.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,238,386 4/1941 Frank 339-97 2,769,154 10/ 1956 Greenbaum 339-99 2,909,631 10/ 1959 Stamm et al. 339-97 X 2,928,067 3/ 1960 Broberg-et al. 339-200 Y 2,929,043 3/ 1960 Phillips 339-99 2,934,737 4/ 1960 Gibson 339-97 3,039,074 6/ 1962 Koenig 339-99 FOREIGN PATENTS 936,469 2/ 1948 France. 753,151 7/71956 Great Britain.

PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Primary Examiner.

W. DONALD MILLER, Examiner. 

1. AN ANTENNA TERMINAL CLIP FOR USE WITH AN ANTENNA TRANSMISSION LINE HAVING A PAIR OF PARALLEL ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS ENCLOSED IN AN INSULATING MATERIAL FOR BEING RETAINED IN PARALLEL SPACED RELATIONSHIP ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID ANTENNA TRANSMISSION LINE, SAID CLIP COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A PAIR OF DIELECTRIC JAW MEMBERS PIVOTALLY SECURED TOGETHER ADJACENT THEIR CENTERS, AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE CONTACT MEMBER ON EACH OF SAID JAW MEMBERS AND HAVING PORTIONS THEREOF PROJECTING BEYOND THE FIRST ENDS OF SAID JAW MEMBERS, A PAIR OF ELECTRICAL CONTACTS ON SAID FIRST ENDS OF SAID JAW MEMBERS FOR BEING DISPOSED IN ELECTRICAL CONTACT WITH A PAIR OF SPACED ANTENNA TERMINALS, RESILIENT MEANS BIASING SAID JAW MEMBERS ABOUT THEIR 